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8 things not to do in India (and why you should do them all anyway)

India is a place where you feel like you should stick to a set of rules to help you get through unharmed and safe. I, for one, went with a huge list of dos and don’ts. Did I stick to them? No, not really. For the most part I was sensible but I feel like there’s just some occasions where you kinda have to say “f*** it” and just do it. You may only be there once in your life and if you don’t think you’re actually going to die from taking part in said activity then you’re definitely going to have a great story from it. So here you have it…

Eight things not to do in India (and why you should do them all anyway)!

1. Get on the back of a moped

Ah, rule number one of childhood. Don’t speak to strangers and certainly don’t get onto or into the back of their moving vehicle. Rule number one broken when presented with an “Indian Helicopter” to take us to a local tailor. All in the name of fashion. Sorry Mummy but it really was imperative that I have my beautiful, silky shirtdress tailored. If you’ve visited India then you’ll know how completely chaotic the traffic is there.

It’s certainly not traffic you want to be perched on the back of a moped in, although you will definitely see at least a family of eight on one at many points during your visit. It’s more the type of traffic you want to be strapped into your car seat, in the back of a HUGE car, wrapped in ten duvets in case your mode of transport veers into a tuk-tuk/cow/moped/person. When we were presented with a moped to take us from the fabric shop to the tailor we were definitely more than a little reluctant to get on but then the naughty, adventurous side of me crept out and the next thing we knew we were whizzing through the streets of Varanasi with a man we’d met ten minutes prior. Most importantly: we lived and here I am typing this now!

2. Follow a man to his “shop”

You’re always told just ignore or say no to any men approaching you from market stalls because you’ll get trapped into buying something. But I mean… What if you missed out on the most incredible treasure trove of a store because you were too busy saying no? I feel like sometimes you definitely have to give the poor guy a chance to show you whatever creations he has hidden in his rather dusty store.

I found one of my favourite purchases from following a man to his store. If at any point during this following you feel uncomfortable or as though it might not be quite what you thought then obviously retreat and retrace your steps. However if you’re in a busy area, the likelihood is that he really does just want to sell you some scraps of fabric sewn together! You’ll probably also get a free cup of chai out of it. Win, win.

3. Engage in conversation with every person who speaks to you

My travel companion will be able to testify at how appalling I am at not replying to every person that speaks to me. In London I am probably (I say probably, I am definitely) one of those really bitchy, horrible looking girls, solemnly marching down the street, not so much as glancing at anyone around me.

Ah, the curse of the resting bitch face! In India, some friendly person appears, unbeknown to me. She says hello, she smiles, she probably accepts too many offers to look at people’s shops and engages with too many street children, but do you know what? When you travel it’s actually kinda great to be like that, you’re on a constant mission to push your boundaries, experience the extraordinary, see as much as your eyes can possibly take in and meet people who are completely different to you.

So while on some occasions I should probably be a little less engaged, as it can lead to you having to back out of a shop while handing back precisely 1000 different scents of incense that you decided you no longer like, for the most part you shouldn’t be afraid of engaging with those around you and meeting new people. Within reason of course. Maybe you’ll even discover you like it… well at least like it in some far off land that you don’t get to experience on a day to day basis.

4. Accept food from locals on the train

My behaviour towards hygiene and food while we were travelling in India was more obsessive than I knew I was capable of. I went armed with disinfectant, anti-bacterial spray, wipes… you name it, I had it. I also ate completely vegetarian for the 3 weeks we were there because I didn’t want to risk food poisoning or being ill for any of our time there. I have to say, my efforts were rewarded as I didn’t get ill once!

However, there was an occasion we were sat on a day train on our way to Pushkar when an elderly couple opposite took an interest in us, and despite neither side being able to communicate properly through the language barrier, they took it upon themselves to welcome us and feed us throughout the journey. Despite us insisting that they should enjoy their lunch, they were insistent on us joining them.

The food was delicious, I ate the best chapatis on the whole trip on that train. Afterwards they were chopping up apples and cucumber, we were both a little dubious having been told not to eat fruit/vegetables uncooked with skins. However not wanting to be rude we ate it anyway. Needless to say, we were absolutely fine and it was amazing to feel so looked after by relative strangers. That’s one thing you’ll learn while you’re there, it’s almost offensive to say no to hospitality.

5. Eat street food

There’s a rather hilarious story of one of my dad’s best friends deciding to eat meat from a street vendor on his way to the airport on a trip back from India. He spent the entire duration of the flight including take-off and landing on the toilet.

So with this in mind I was a little more than cautious about trying street food while I was here. As a rule of thumb, look to see the vendors where lots of locals are eating from or if you’re with a guide, ask about the stands that they recommend and you’ll be fine. Eat food that you can see is fresh and hot. I had a number of really delicious meals from food stands while I was there, so ignore your instincts and try it out. You also must ALWAYS get the chai that’s being served on the side of the road, it’s so delicious and it costs between five and ten rupees for a glass or cup.

6. Get an overnight train

This is truly an experience I will never forget. We didn’t travel in first class, we were in third. Third means that although there’s aircon, the carriage is completely open, and you’re not in compartments. You’ll most likely be sharing with Indian men, most of them will probably smell and the toilets are far from desirable.

I actually started my 22nd birthday on an overnight train, which was something in itself I won’t be forgetting. However, despite these things, you have to get at least one while you’re in India. If you’re with a friend it’s hilarious and the beds are actually surprisingly comfortable. It’s also a really efficient way to get from one place to another, plus, in the morning the likelihood is, you’ll be waking up early so you will be able to catch the gorgeous sunrise as you speed through the Indian countryside.

7. Give to those begging

This is a tricky one. You’ll see sights in India that you won’t see anywhere else. They’re heart-wrenching and you’ll want to do everything you can to help. However, we were advised not to give money. Often the money will be spent on drugs, alcohol and on things you didn’t intend to contribute to. If you do want to help, giving food is the best way to go about it. There were a number of occasions where children will be asking for chapatti or money on the streets. I found myself giving any snacks I had on me to children if they were asking.

So while you shouldn’t really give money to those begging as you may end up drawing a crowd, giving food to those you want to is the best way to help. This beautiful girl was asking for food so I told her I’d buy her food if I could take her photo. She was so sweet and I wanted to capture her portrait to remember the conversation I had with her. It’s little moments like that that make India so special.

8. Buy $2 harem pants

You may be thinking $2 is definitely not going to get you good quality clothing… and you would be entirely correct in that thinking. You will definitely not be getting good value clothing. BUT what you will be getting are fantastic coloured, comfy harem pants that you can bring back to England to remember your trip. They also make fantastic presents because who doesn’t love a pair of lounge pants printed with fantastical combinations of elephants, camels and flowers. No one, that’s who. So while you may not be getting value for money you’ll be bringing home bundles of colour to give to your friends / keep for yourself. I think that’s the best 80 pence you can spend.

No.3 really resonates with me! I think its a delicate line we walk between being wary of scams or people trying to exploit you, but not being so reserved that you miss out on genuine kindness and potential experiences you could have had with local people.

I think I’m guilty of being to the too wary side of that balancing act a lot of the time

Such a wonderful post for an Indian to stumble upon and know your views!….And I think the $2 harem pants or any other local fashion stuff you buy in India is worth it for girls,because we girls hardly wear the same clothes again and again to worry about its quality much,especially when we don’t have to spend much!

Yep, me too… I agree with you on all of the above points! Looking people in the eye and buying a small item to help them survive is ‘to do’. Make me cross to see travelers ignoring people who are trying to sell items. I love street food too! Yum. Well written! x

Haha this is so awesome! I went to India with my family once and I have to agree with all of these! 1. definitely try the masala chai (it’s the best) and 2. henna tattoos are a must! 3. there’s nothing like a train experience in India!!

I love this post!
My favourite part about India was the street food..it’s so delicious and so laughably cheap! I really don’t get it why some people are so afraid about eating the street food in India, it’s probably fresher than in many of the restaurants over there.
India is one of my favourite destinations…can’t wait to go back!

This cracked me up! I went on a two-week trip to India this spring with a group of twelve other girls and most of us are guilty of at least a few of these. I was the only one brave enough to eat street food and have no regrets. I drank chai in a man’s shop, we climbed into tuk tuks and bicycle rickshaws, and we tried an endless amount of strange foods that were so amazing. Can’t wait to go back!

Ahhh love this post! My supervisor gets to travel to India twice a year for work and one day I hope to as well! She definitely listened to number two and bought the most amazing silver comb I have ever seen! Haha great tips!
Xoxo
Annie

Yes yes yes to all of these but especially eating street food! It’s amazing and some of the best food I’ve had in India and I’ve lived there for 6 years. There are so many unique flavors and interesting combinations to be had. Bonus: it’s a Vegetarian’s paradise! 🙂

Yes yes yes to all of these but especially eating street food! It’s amazing and some of the best food I’ve had in India and I’ve lived the for six years. There are so many unique flavors and interesting combinations to be had. Bonus: it’s a Vegetarian’s paradise!

Yes yes yes to all of these but especially eating street food! It’s amazing and some of the best food I’ve had in India and I’ve lived the for six years. There are so many unique flavors and interesting combinations to be had. Bonus: it’s a Vegetarian’s paradise! 🙂